JASON LAUGHLIN
Courier-Post Staff
A firefighter with severe burns over 80 percent of his body got help from
hundreds of people Wednesday in what will be a long battle to recovery.
Donors from throughout the region flocked to a blood drive here at the Verga
Fire Company to help Jim Heenan, 37, of West Deptford.
"It's been overwhelming; the response has been overwhelming," American Red
Cross volunteer Barbara Johnson said.
The drive was organized by the Red Cross and Heenan's fellow firefighters,
who were with him Monday when he fell through a floor into the basement of a
burning home on Atkins Avenue.
Heenan was trapped in the basement amid flames and water for about 20
minutes and has been in critical condition at Crozer-Chester Medical Center
in Upland, Pa. since the New Year's Day accident. He's not out of danger
yet: Heenan will have to contend with infection and pneumonia while
recovering, doctors said.
Each donor at Wednesday's drive gave a pint of blood, Johnson said. Heenan
needs O positive blood, but other blood types donated will be sent to a
blood bank in exchange for compatible blood.
Each pint will be broken down into plasma, platelets and whole blood so it
can help three patients. Because of the high turnout, the blood donated will
be used to help many others in addition to Heenan.
Three-and-a-half hours into the drive, which began at 2 p.m., more than 200
donations were collected. At 8 p.m., about 100 people were still waiting in
line to donate.
Although other injured police officers and firefighters have received media
attention in the past, Johnson said she has never seen such a positive
response to a blood drive as Wednesday's turnout.
"I had no idea there'd be this many," said Barbara Kimbal of West Deptford
as she waited with her husband, Greg.
"This is a pretty civic-minded community," Greg Kimbal added.
Donors came from all walks of life, but the response from area firefighters
was tremendous. Gloucester County departments responded in force, and
firefighters from neighboring counties also attended.
"Having been a firefighter, I know the need to help a fellow firefighter,"
said John DeSimone of Mount Laurel, a former West Deptford volunteer.
Gathered again among red and yellow fire engines, Verga' s firefighters
seemed upbeat for the first time in days.
"There's a lot of everyone - police, firemen. The community's been
wonderful; everyone's been wonderful," Verga Lt. A.J. Ferriola said.
Along with blood, donors gave money and food too. A traffic jam of donors'
cars along Hessian Avenue prompted Verga Lt. Ben Pollock to collect money
from cars as they inched past the fire department.
Also at the blood drive was firefighter Jim Miller, who accompanied Heenan
into the burning home Monday.
Miller had grabbed Heenan's leg as he fell through the floor. But the
sleeves of Miller's coat rolled back exposing his arms as he reached out,
and his wrists and face were seared by heat rushing up from the hole in the
floor.
"Every part of it sticks out in my mind," Miller said.
Dark, shiny scars still mark his face, next to his right ear and beneath his
chin.
Meanwhile, Heenan has a long road to recovery. One of his doctors at
Crozer-Chester, Kathleen Reilly, spoke about the obstacles burn victims must
overcome.
"The risk of infection is the most severe risk and the most life-threatening
thing they'll face," Reilly said. Patient confidentiality rules prohibit her
from speaking specifically about Heenan's condition.
Skin is a major barrier against bacteria, Reilly said, and so burn victims
are vulnerable to infections. Dressings are changed daily, and patients are
given painkillers that keep them unaware of much of the painful recovery
process.
As patients regain consciousness, they must deal with the emotional fallout
of their injuries as well, Reilly said. The hospital offers therapists who
work with the victims.
Burn patients also often suffer internal burns from inhaling smoke, and
therefore need respirators. Though respirators help patients breathe, they
can also make them susceptible to pneumonia.
First- and second-degree burns can heal, but third- degree burns usually
require skin grafts. A patient may undergo up to 10 skin graft surgeries
within about a month of an injury. Skin can be grafted from other parts of
the body, Reilly said, but doctors also are able to use samples of a
patient's skin to grow sheets of new skin for the patient.
Firefighters have established a trust fund through the Bank of Gloucester
County to help Heenan. Money can be sent to any branch in his name.
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